Tucker mechanism



F. H. PETERSON TUCKER MECHANISM m E $0 13 u 7 I lllllll k L fl kw mm mm22 -26 m lfinedez;

Dec. 21, 1943.- F. H. PETERSON 2,337,268

TUCKER MECHANISM Filed April 9, 1942 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2 5 mzlmmmmn m W.-

finder? JiIPpi'enson,

Patented Dec. 21, 1943 Frederick H. Peterson,

or to The Patent Bu Watertown, Conn, assigntton Company, Waterbury,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application April 9, 1942, SerialNo. 438,315

1 Claim.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in button attachingmachines, and more particularly to what is known as a tucker mechanism.

The invention in its broadest'aspect is similar to that type of tuckermechanism or button attaching machine as shown and described in thepatent of F. H. Peterson, No. 2,265,575, issued December 9, 1941.

Broadly speaking, a tucker mechanism of a button attaching machine isthat part of the mechanism that advances the tack, after it leaves itschute, to the attaching station directly under the button, where, on thedescent of the plunger, the button is forced downwardly, andconsequently the tack prong is forced through the cloth into the buttonto thus securely fasten the button to the cloth.

The tucker mechanism, however, as illustrated in the patent abovementioned consists generally of a slide on which there is mounted a maintucker finger, together with an additional tucker finger.

The first-mentioned tucker finger will advance a tack to a transferstation, and from this transfer station, the tack is advanced to theattaching station.

Thus after the initial tack is advanced to the transfer station, on aforward stroke of the tucker mechanism, the tack at the transfer stationis advanced to the attaching station while a following tack is advancedto the transfer station.

As may also be seen from Figures 2 and 8 of the patent above referredto, one side of the guideway for the tack after it had left the chuteconsisted of a pivoted jaw, and this jaw has formed on its inner surfacea notched plate to temporarily hold a tack at the transfer station.

The main purpose of having the jaw pivoted was that if there was a jamof the tacks on the table, that is, after the tacks had left the chuteon their travel to the attaching station, the pivoted jaw could be swungoutwardly and the offending tack removed by hand. Also it was necessarythat the jaw pivot on the advancement of every tack to the attachingstation.

However, there arose certain disadvantages in having this pivoted jawforming a part of the attaching station and moving on the advancement ofeach tack, and, therefore, an object of the present invention is to soarrange the tucker mechanism and transfer station that the pivotalemergency jaw may still be moved should the tacks become jammed on theirway to the attaching station or the transfer station, but the pivotedjaw is in no way actuated by the normal operation of the tack as itpasses to the transfer station and to the attaching station.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a gate adjacent toone side of the trackway for the tracks, so that the gate will beoperated by a tack on its Way to the transfer station and securely holdthe tack until such time as it is forced by the finger of the tuckermechanism out to the transfer station, and likewise the pivoted jaw willalways remain in its normal position unless moved by hand to clear anoffending tack from the trackway.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnew and novel arrangements and combination of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings showing a preferred embodiment:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View of a tack chute of a button-attachingmachine, together with a part of the tucker slide mechanism and showinga tack at the transfer station and a tack on the anvil (attachingstation) directly beneath the button-holding jaws and plungers;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the tucker slideand showing my new and improved transfer station;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1 but with the tuckerblock retracted to permit the second or additional finger to spring upbe hind the tack positioned at the transfer station ready to advancethis tack;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the tucker slide unit;

Figure 5 unit;

Figure 6 is a rear view holding the tucker slide;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary top plan View of the raceway with partsremoved for sake of clearness of illustration;

Figure 8 is a detail of the pivotal gate;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of same; and

Figure 10 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of a button to besecured by a tack positioned over the attaching station.

At the outset it might be mentioned that only that part of the machineis shown which is thought necessary to illustrate the present invention,and if a more detailed description of the type of machine is desiredreference may be had to my patent above mentioned, to wit No. 2,265,575of December 9, 1941.

It might also be mentioned at the outset that the tucker slide unit andits mechanism is the same as that shown in the patent above referred towith the exception that I have provided a different form of transferstation, so that it will be unnecessary for the emergency jaw to swingslightly outwardly each time a tack is forced from the chute to thetransfer station and from the transfer station out to the attachingstation.

is a rear elevation of this tucker slide of the block or table jaws 3".

In this way I provide what might be termed a time a tack is advanced tothe transfer station or from the transfer station to the attaching jstation, but this pivoted gate is supplemental to,

track, as will be seen as the;

the side wall of the specification proceeds.

Now referring to Fig. shown a tack chute I, per (not shown) for thetacks to the table 2, in which operates the tucker slide and on whichthe tacksare deposited one at a time by an escapement 3 in the tackchute.

At theouter end of the table 2, in which the tucker slide operates, isthe anvil 4, which is often spoken of as the attaching station. Theescapement (not shown in detail) in the tack chute, which escapement isoperated by the tucker slide, permits only one tack to be released fromthe chute to the table 2 on each upward movement of the plunger 3'.

It will be understo 1, there is fragmentarily d that the action of thewhich leads from the hop,-

then snaps inwardly every seen in Patent No. 1,567,882 issued toFranklin R. White, on December 29, 1925, is the downwardly extending lug|5 together with a bolt l6. Extending outwardly from the lug is a studwith a'roller sleeve thereon which is associated ,with a cammedbell-crank element, which element has the horizontally extending lockinghaving a terminal portion embraces a rod 2| that operates tucker slideis synchronized with the operating mechanism (not shown) of the plunger,so that on every upward movement of the plunger, there is a forwardmovement of the tucker slide to thus assure; that a tack will beliberated to the table and advanced out to the attaching station.

Then, on every descent of the plunger, there will be a tack at theattaching station to, be forced through the cloth into the button.

Referring particularly for the moment to Fig. 4, there is shown indetail the tucker slide unit, which slides within the table 2, which, itwill be remembered, is just beneath the end of the tack chute The unitconsists of the block 5, which is substantially T-shaped in crosssection and has the tucker finger 6 mounted thereon, which finger isslightly concaved out at its forward end, so that the nose 1 will partlyencircle the shank or prong 1 of the tack and the undercut 8 in thefinger will clear the head of the tack, as seen in Fig. 1 On the undersurface of the block or slide 5, there is a post 5 which is connected toan' arm S of the operating mechanism for advancing and retracting theslide in the table 2.

So far the tucker slide block and its tucker finger are very similar tothose shown in the patent to F. H. Peterson, #2,265,575 of December 9,1941. V

There will be noticed an auxiliary pivoted finger 9 fitting within theforward end of the block 5, the pivotal point |9 being just slightly inadvance of the forward end of the tucker finger 6.

Also there may be seen the downwardly extending arm I i, which forms apart of the finger 9 to which is secured the spring l2, which, in turn,is secured tothe post I3, so that this finger 9 normally assumes atilted position, as shown in' Fig. 4. The finger 9 also has its noseslightly concaved, as at Hi, to partly encircle the prong of a tack, aswill be readily understood.

It will be noticed that this tucker finger 9 extends out beyond theforward end of its block, as seen in Fig. 1, so that the tack whenadvanced will be positioned out on the anvil 4 directly beneath theplunger 3 and button-holding 1 Near the rear end of the block 5, as beV. the rear of the element may .|8. Also there is the upwardly extendingfinger'l'l, as may be seen in Fig. 1, while at be seen the block to thefurther arm 20 as at 2|, which in turn the escapement 3 in the tackchute. Thus, when the tucker slide is retracted its full extent, thefinger H of the bell-crank element is unlocked and swung downwardly fromits pivotal point by the contact of the stud 25 striking the block IS.The arm l9, being pulled downwardly, operates the escapement 3 throughthe aforementioned arm 20 and therod 2| and liberates a tack from theescapement 3 in the chute to the table 2.

It will be understood that as long as the stud 25 underlies the forwardportion of the finger H, the tack escapement 3 is held in a lockedcondition,1that is, in'a position to cut off descent of arm I9 which ispivoted tacks.

This mechanism, which is shown in Figs. 1 and 6, is similar to thatshown in the former White Patent No. 1,567,882 mentioned, with theexception that there is an additional arm 20 that connects through thearm 2| with the rod 2| to operate the escapement rather than beingconnected directly to the rod 2|, all as shown in Patent No. 2,265,575earlier referred to.

The pivoted finger and escape mechanism are the same as in my priorPatent #2,265,575 of December 9, 1941.

Referring, now for the moment to Fig. 2, there is seen the emergencypivoted jaw 22 on the table 2 that extends out to the attaching station,and this jaw together with the opposite stationary side wall forms theraceway for the tack along the table'to the attaching station, whichraceway also bounds the tuckerslide fingers on their opposite sides. Thepurpose of having the jaw pivoted is so that if a tack should becomejammed under the tucker finger, the jaw may be swung outwardly and theoffending tack removed. There may also be seen the small leaf springwhich is positioned partly alongside and partly under the jaw 22 forholding this jaw in its normal position.

Referring now to the gist of the invention and to Figs. land 2 and indetail in Figs. 8 and 9, it will be seen that I have cut out a smallportion of the stationary sidewall of the table 2 as at 30, so thatthere can be fitted therein the gate 3|, which is pivoted as at 32. Thisgate is provided with a nose 33, which is indented as at 34, and it willbe seen that there is a cam surface 35 extending along the body of thegate up tothe nose and to the indentation heretofore mentioned.

It will also be seen that this cam surface overlies the track or racewayin which operates the heretofore mentioned tucker finger 6, and likewisethe additional tucker finger 9.

There will also be seen the small post 36, which is secured tothe rearedge of the gate 3|, to which post is secured the spring 37, whichspring is also connected to the post 38 which is fitted within the edgeof the table.

Thus thenose portion of thegate 3| is free to bepivotally swungaway fromthe track, and the gate will assume its normal position as soon as themoving pressure is released.

Thus on a forward movementof the tucker slide after a tack has droppedon the table 2, the finger 6 of the tucker slide will advance the tackto the transfer station, or in other words to the gate 3!, and thecamming action will push the gate laterally, until the tack is locatedin the indent of the nose 3 3 as heretofore mentioned. There it will beheld at the transfer station until advanced by the forward tucker finger.1 on the next forward movement of the tucker slide.

Thus it will be seen that the emergency guard or jaw 22 remains in itsnormal position during the entire movement of the tack from the chuteout to the attaching station. The only time that this jaw will be movedis when it is desired to remove an offending tack which may have jammedin the raceway.

Thus the track walls on both sides of the prong of the tack, that is theside walls, remain in a fixed position so that the tack may be properlyadvanced by the respective tucker fingers.

Briefly, the operation of the tucker slide is as follows:

On a downward stroke of the plunger 3, the tucker slide is retracted bysuitable mechanism (not shown), of which the arm 5 is the end elementand is connected to the stud 5' through which said arm 5 retracts thetucker slide. As the tucker slide reaches its rearmost end of travel,the stud 25, which underrides the cam finger i! (Fig. 1) to thusnormally hold the escapement locked, strikes the block IS of the cammedbell-crank element and pushes down the rod 21 to, in turn, swing theescapement in the tack chute I and liberate a tack to the table 2. Then,as the plunger 3 rises, the tucker slide begins its forward stroke andthe finger 6 engages the prong of the liberated tack and forces itoutwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 to the transfer station or, inother words into the indent 34 of the nose 33 of the gate 3!. After thetack is advanced to the attaching station the gate will spring back toits normal position.

Of course, when the machine is first started, there will not be a tackat the transfer station to be carried out to the attaching station.However, after the first tack has been deposited out on the transferstation, when the tucker slide next advances not Vance a tack to thetransfer only will the tucker finger 6 adstation but the finger 9 of thetucker slide will also advance the tack from the transfer station out tothe station, as seen in Fig. 1.

This is accomplished due to the fact that on the rearward stroke of thetucker slide, the forward finger 9 will be forced from its tiltedposition to a horizontal position, as the tack cannot be movedvertically or rearwardly and the head will, therefore, act as a cam tocause the finger 9 to move down to a horizontal position until it haspassed under and to the rear of the tack on the transfer station. Whenonce past this point, the finger 9 will spring upwardly, and then on theforward stroke of the tucker slide, the finger engages and will advancethe tack out to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Thus, after the first tack has been deposited on the transfer station,at every forward movement of the tucker slide one tack will be carriedattaching from the chute out to the transfer station while the tack atthe transfer station will be carried out to the attaching station.

It will be apprecited that I have only fragmentarily shown the attachingplunger and the holding jaws for the buttons, as those portions of themachine that handle the buttons form no part of the present inventionper se. Also it will be understood that different forms of tack buttonsmay be used. In Fig. 10, I have shown an enlarged face view of a button26, which is provided with suitable insignia 2! and having a speciallyshaped hub 28, on which are the flat surfaces 29 and 30' and thealigning wall 3|, all arranged at a 20 angle to the vertical position ofthe insignia to insure the button being delivered to the attachingstation with its insignia in properly readable position when beingattached to the garment. The button illustrated is shown in detail inPatent No. 2,170,092, granted to Rollin R. Clarke and me on August 22,1939, for Tack buttons.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a tuckermechanism that has all the advantages of the tucker mechanism mentionedin my former patent, to wit No. 2,265,575, together with the furtheradvantages that the emergency jaw which forms one side of the track forthe tack is not moved on every movement of the tucker slide. On thecontrary, it remains rigid and forms a guide wall for the tack on itspassage from the chute to the final attaching station, and only has tobe swung when necessary to free an offending tack from the track, whichinfrequently happens. Finally the movement of the gate 3| in no wayaffects the rigidity of the opposite side wall that forms the remainingside of the raceway.

It will be understood that although I mentioned registrable buttons themechanism can just as well be used with non-registrable buttons and thatit is within the purview of the invention to feed and deliver staplefasteners as well as single prong fasteners.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

In a tucker mechanism for a button-attaching machine, a raceway for thetacks, one side of the raceway comprising an undercut pivotal emergencyjaw together with a relatively heaw spring for holding the jaw in place,the other side of the raceway comprising a fixed undercut wall, atransfer station associated with the fixed wall, said transfer stationincluding a pivotal gate having an indented nose extending over saidraceway, spring means associated with the pivotal gate for holding thesame in its normal position, tucker means for advancing a tack alongsaid raceway, the spring associated with the pivotal jaw beingunyielding throughout the FREDERICK H. PETERSON.

